Suspect arrested in Ukiah Walmart robbery

The Ukiah Police Department Tuesday arrested the man suspected of robbing the Ukiah Walmart at gunpoint last week.

According to the UPD, a man stole an undisclosed amount of money from the store on Airport Park Boulevard shortly before 8 p.m. after showing a firearm to an employee at the Customer Service Counter. The man, identified as Michael C. Drebaum, 33, of Clearlake, then reportedly left the store and got into a beige, 1990s, four-door Nissan Sentra being driven by someone else.

Drebaum was identified as a potential suspect after UPD detectives learned that he was suspected in a similar robbery at the Clearlake Walmart. In that incident, Drebaum reportedly exited the store with items he hadn't paid for, then dropped them and left. He is also suspected of smashing a jewelry case and stealing items from it.

Employees at the Clearlake store reported that Drebaum had been associated with a beige Nissan Sentra being driven by a female.

The UPD worked with the Clearlake Police Department to keep watch on the car associated with Drebaum and locations he was known to frequent. On the evening of July 15, officers from both departments located Drebaum and arrested him on Highlands Way in Clearlake.

Officers reportedly found clothing and a firearm that linked Drebaum to the robbery in Ukiah. The firearm, which was originally reported to have been an assault weapon, was determined to be a BB gun that the UPD described as "in every way, resembling a genuine firearm."

Drebaum was booked into Lake County Jail Tuesday on suspicion of armed robbery and for Lake County warrants.

The UPD is still following leads and evidence in an attempt to identify the driver of the Sentra following the Ukiah robbery.